Plans for a relief road of the A28 through Birchington, Acol and Westgate have received backing from the government and will now move on to the next stage of development.
A bid to fund the £49.8 million project was submitted in December as part of plans for improving the Major Road Network – the country’s busiest and most economically important local authority A roads.
The A28 relief road would provide an alternative route, using the existing Shottendane Road which runs south of and parallel to the A28. This would be widened and improved.
The new road would link to the A28 south of Birchington and to Manston Road and Hartsdown Road, east of Westgate, through future development sites. It would also provide a southern link through an extension to the existing Columbus Avenue, to provide traffic relief to Acol.
The A28 scheme was previously agreed by Transport for the South East, a new sub-national transport body which brings together local authorities, local enterprise partnerships and the transport industry.
KCC’s Cabinet Member for Highways Mike Whiting said: “This is a very important project for East Kent and the Chancellor’s announcement about the A28 scheme gives us confidence to progress it to the next stage.
“The schemes we have put forward through our work with Transport for the South East will make a big difference to the lives of our residents.
“If funded we can look forward to more reliable, quicker journeys and help cut congestion whilst supporting new housing, businesses and much needed jobs in the area.”
Keith Glazier, chair of Transport for the South East, said: “The Chancellor’s announcement is good news for people and businesses in East Kent.
“The A28 Relief Road scheme is one of Transport for the South East’s top ten priorities for the region’s Major Road Network, which were submitted for funding in the summer. If delivered, it would mean better and more reliable journeys for road users and help reduce congestion, speed up journey times and support new housing and jobs.
“By speaking with one voice to influence where and how money is spent in our region, Transport for the South East is already making a real difference for the 7.5million people who live and work in the South East.”
strange? we need roads updated in Salmestone ward area before anything else, its a nightmare all day getting around this area and where is the diverted road going to join existing rd?
Not strange, an easy way of opening up green belt for housing and then pretending to solve a non existent traffic problem.
Spend the money on better public transport. Then there won’t be a need for the relief road.
We all know that all a relief road does is move the bottle neck along a few miles.
The only reason Shottendane road is being widened is to facilitate the building of the massive estate the council wants to have along that road. The problem with all these new houses is that the local infrastructure, namely the Dr’s and Dental surgery cannot cope with the amount of people already in the area. The building and widening of this road, is nothing more than an excuse.
This route is idiotic! The terminating point at the Margate end is right by Margate Football Club! What is the traffic using it supposed to do when it reaches that point. Turn right and clog up the already overcrowded Nash Road junction, or turn right and attempt to exit right on to the existing A28 opposite the Sea Bathing Hospital?? This clearly has not been thought through and will both ruin farmland and (potentially) ancient woodland at the back of Quex Park.
The planning and implementation of housing estates and roads in Thanet is a joke. Who are responsible for these plans because they need going back to the drawing board. Why push more traffic into a bottleneck. That is not a by-pass or even a good relief road as it needs to be extended on through Nash Road and away from Westwood Cross. They are building more houses on another field at Westwood without widening Nash Road first so where will all the traffic go as it is grid-lock up there during rush hours?
There is plans for Nash Road to be extended from Manston Road near St Gregorys School,plus Enterprise Road at westwood ind estate to eventually meet up with it
There is plans for Nash Road to be extended from Manston Road near St Gregorys School,plus Enterprise Road at westwood ind estate to eventually meet up with it